Daniel Boulud named best restaurateur in the world

New Yorkers yearning for a taste of authentic French cuisine don’t have far to go to enjoy the crème  de la crème after the association Les Grandes Tables du Monde declared Daniel Boulud the best restaurateur in the world.

Boulud, who was born in Lyon and came to New York in 1982, won for his two Michelin-star Upper East Side restaurant Daniel. The association wrote: “At the heart of Manhattan, Restaurant Daniel is a celebrated culinary destination that blends refinement and sophistication with New York style and energy. Chef Daniel Boulud and his brigade treat their guests to a sensory delight through a contemporary cuisine rooted in classic French traditions using seasonal and local ingredients with a touch of world flavours. The experience is elevated with attentive, professional and warm service. The neo-classical dining room provides a relaxed, elegant, and charming atmosphere. Enjoy creative cocktails and à la carte menu at the bar lounge.”

A three-course dinner at Daniel will set you back $265 per person. But if you can’t make it to NYC, don’t worry: Boulud has restaurants around the world from Washington DC to Montréal to London to Singapore.

Meanwhile, wine-lovers will want to make a bee-line for Maison Bras in Laguiole, in the picturesque Aveyron département, where you’ll find Argentinian Sergio Calderon, who was voted best sommelier in the world. Calderon was also the palate behind the Bras brothers’ new restaurant La Halle aux Grains in the Bourse de Commerce-Collection Pinault in Paris, curating a list crammed with single-varietals, which he described as “wines at affordable prices and easy to interpret”.

Les Grandes Tables du Monde was formed in 1954 to celebrate restaurants around the world “that delight their diners and those that deliver unforgettable experiences”. Today it brings together 184 establishments in 25 countries on five continents.

Lead photo credit : DinexGroup via Wikimedia